A 10 page help guide for GCSE music students to guide then through composing a piece of blues music.
This focusses on chords, bass line, blues scale and texture.
A series of 4 lessons based on Grieg’s ‘In the hall of the mountain king’, Stravinsky’s Firebord suite and Adams’ Short ride in a fast machine.
These pieces are used as a stimulus to perform sections of classical music and create compositions in the western classical genre. All resources are differentiated.
PowerPoints are also provided with differentiated tasks and push your thinking ideas.
A series of 2 lessons which use the elements from Handel’s Zadok the Priest (fanfare, chords, binary and ternary form) as a stimulus for a composition task (original music also provided).
All instrumental parts and composition tasks are differentiated and Sibelius files are also provided.
PowerPoints for the lessons are available with differentiated and push your thinking tasks.
A series of 3 lessons which use the elements from Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and other film music motifs that he has inspires as a stimulus for a composition task (original music also provided).
All instrumental parts and composition tasks are differentiated.
PowerPoints for the lessons are available with differentiated and push your thinking tasks.
Differentiated instrumental parts to allow students to create an ensemble performance of Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.
There are up to 3 levels of differentiation for each part and bass tablature is also included.
There is also differentiated composition worksheets to encourage students to write a middle 8 section for their performance.
A differentiated listening test which refers to different versions of Rocking Around the Christmas Tree with you tube links is also provided.
A pack of A* style listening questions based on classical music for the AQA GCSE examination.
Answers and a powerpoint are also available.
This is also available as part of a bundle with B-C and A grade style questions for the same excerpts.
A series of 2 lessons which use the elements from Mozart’s Horn Concerto (concerto, sonata form, 6/8 time signature) to as a stimulus for a composition task (original music also provided).
All instrumental parts and composition tasks are differentiated and Sibelius files are also provided.
PowerPoints for the lessons are available with differentiated and push your thinking tasks.
I created this resource because students said they were getting confused over the different historical contexts of the texts we are studying.
This is useful if you are studying the following combination of texts for English Literature:
Romeo and Juliet
A Christmas Carol
An Inspector Calls
Alternatively, the concept can be adapted if you are studying a different combination of texts.
Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2. Table and writing frame to compare how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react after the murder. Structured for lower ability students. Includes the extract.
Planning sheet to give ideas for a creative writing exercise on the theme of trapped.
There is also a mid ability example response for students to annotate.
Based on the Eduqas GCSE Music specification - a detailed lesson activity that focuses on recognising classical structures through listening and using the score. This then develops into understanding how contrast is achieved in classical structures through analysis of each piece. Scores and a worksheet are attached.
Macbeth Character Analysis: Differentiated writing frame for lower ability.
Grade 4: Point, Evidence, Analysis of language
Grade 5: Add second zoom in to language
Grade 6: Add alternative interpretations
Grade 7: Add supporting/complicating quotations
Also includes advice on how to create a thesis-style introduction.
‘A thesis-style introduction that demonstrates your understanding of the question can be a really helpful way of starting your answer. It shows that you are ‘in charge’ of your essay and that you know what you think. It can provide a strong foundation for the rest of the essay. Keep referring back to the introduction to create a coherent response.’ AQA examiner’s report 2022
Creating a thesis-style introduction is a challenge for many students but is essential in helping students to reach levels 4-6 in the mark scheme. I have produced a simple 3 point structure to help students quickly generate a thesis statement in timed exam conditions. There is an example of the 3 point structure being used and then students attempt to imitate the structure for 4 other exam-style questions.
Differentiated Writing frame that can be adapted to any text from Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet to A Christmas Carol and Jekyll and Hyde. Ideal to use with lower ability students.
Aiming for Grade 4: Point, evidence, analysis
Aiming for Grade 5: Double zoom in to language
Aiming for Grade 6: Double zoom in and alternative interpretations
Aiming for Grade 7: 2 contrasting quotations, double zoom in, alternative interpretations, summative comment
Also contains advice on how to write thesis statement introductions in an easy to emulate 3 sentence structure.
A lesson that walks students through how to answer an exam question on attitudes to the supernatural in Macbeth. The featured extract comes from Act 1 Scene 3. The lesson includes annotations of the extract, a grade 9 sample answer and annotations for quotations to use from outside the extract to finish the response.
Also contains an alternative lesson which uses Act 1 Scene 1 as the starting extract. This lesson is actually better.
An exam walk-through lesson exploring the importance of masculinity in Macbeth. The lesson includes annotations for the given extract (Act 1 Scene 7) and then examines 3 other parts of the play that could be used to complete the response. There is also a model paragraph to help get students started on their response.